‘Zine’ in a weekend – day 2

Artist Ania Bas led the second day of our literary inspired course in collaboration with Wimbledon Bookfest.

On Day One (click for more details) we concentrated on what makes a charismatic character and on Day two we looked at what makes a sensational storyline. Our findings are to be compiled into a ‘Zine’ aimed at budding authors. The title of which will be:

INK – A basic guide to building a Children’s Book

As always we began the afternoon with a warm up – for our minds, bodies and fingers.

First we made a drawing as Ania told a short story – we weren’t allowed to take out pencil off the paper at all. A continuous line drawing!

First there was a forest, with a squirrel who went to the lake.

He crossed the lake to the animal cafe.

We listened hard for the details.

he had a green broccoli smoothie???!…..

We then tried drawing with both hands simultaneously.

Ania described the setting for a story – but as we were drawing with two hands, there was two of everything – creating a fantastical world!

Tower blocks

With horses living on the top floor! Waving a sign saying welcome!

…and a forest on the roof?

We then spoke about the magazine we were creating and looked at some examples of the size and type of ‘riso’ print we would be using.

We will make an 8 page, A5 folded ‘zine’ printed on recycled paper in 2 colours – all these factors would influence the way we worked to produce content!

We recapped the decisions of the senior editors (those children attending both days of the course).

Yesterday they had decided on the title.

Materials were ready for us to start building a story.

We used a simple pop-up technique to start thinking about what makes a great story.

We cut out material from magazines to make a setting.

We brainstormed exciting elements from the plot of a story to fix on to the 3D elements.

All elements combined to create a mini 3D installation based on a great story.

After a break we brainstormed words associated with a great story.

We collected them together 

Then made them into small posters to be reduced and incorporated into the zine.

Next we talked about story mountains, plot development; problems, climaxes and resolutions…

While the senior editors had a team meeting to begin editing material others painted some story mountains using favourite stories for inspiration.

Some worked together in groups, while others chose to work on their own.

Some rather abstract works emerged

We look forward to seeing how all this work is included into our Zine – which will be ready in about a month. We have listened to children’s opinions and gathered all the material which will be pulled together with a designer over the next few weeks and then circulated.

You can see the finished result by clicking the link below.

INK: A Basic Guide to Building a Kids Book